W’bank’s 1.2m meter project stalled amid moves against estimated bills
THE National Mass Metering Programme ( NMMP), expected to be funded by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the World Bank has remained elusive even as information about 1.2 million meters, which are to be provided through the scheme, remains sketchy.
With the illiquidity crisis and arbitrary billing as well as theft threatening the sector, metering of consumers has been stressed as a major leeway for achieving transparent billing and revenue improvement in the sector. But many initiatives taken up to reduce the metering gap have been marred in obscurity.
In 2020, the Federal Government had launched the NMMP as part of efforts to further bridge the country’s metering gap. Going by the plan, the government is expected to by now have provided six million free meters, but the scheme remained at phase zero, where a controversial 900,000 meters were provided.
The World Bank, mid- last year launched a bid to provide 1.2 million meters at $ 155 million but none of the meters have been installed even as sources told The Guardian that the scheme is still in process.
While the scheme delays, the cost of metering continued to double over prevailing economic realities even as meter companies are now canvassing to double the cost of the asset.
Meanwhile, amidst the indebtedness of government agencies, especially the military to the distribution companies, the Federal government has released N12.7 billion out of a total of 40 billion for the mass metering project to distribute meters to the Nigerian Army formations nationwide. Speaking during the flag- off of the metering exercise at the headquarters of the 9th Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Ikeja military cantonment at the weekend, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu said the exercise would be in phases with the Ikeja cantonment being the first phase of the exercise. He noted that the exercise will last for six weeks before the second phase begins.
The minister disclosed that N12.7 billion has been released out of a total of 40 billion for the mass metering project.
“The mass metering in army formations nationwide will enable us to know what is being consumed every month to ensure appropriate billings and ease collections. The overall intention is to eliminate and make estimated billing a thing of the past,” he said.
The Minister who was received at the army headquarters by the Commander, Maj. Gen. A. M Adetuyi and the Chief Executive Officer of De Haryor Global Services, Engineer Ashade Olatunbosun who oversees the metering project said the current exercise is part of President
Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda to ensure regular supply of electricity to army formations, nationwide.
His words: “This is one of Mr. President’s objectives as contained in the renewed hope agenda to ensure that electricity supply to the armed forces is prioritised and they do not suffer especially in the enjoyment of public utilities.
“The smart meters being installed are tamper- proof and would eliminate energy theft. You cannot bypass the meter which also comes with an app where customers can also get a statement of their consumption monthly”.
Olatunbosun said the second phase of the project will begin in Abuja and Enugu, simultaneously adding that military formations across the 11 Discos will benefit from the exercise.
“Army formations in Jos, Abuja, Ibadan, Enugu, Kaduna, Ikeja and Eko distribution companies will benefit from the exercise,” he said.
Earlier, Maj. General Adetuyi said the federal government metering initiative is timely as the brigade headquarters has been having epileptic power supply over time.
“When I investigated, I found out that we were only being given three hours of electricity daily and on some days, we do not even get supplied. We have tried to resolve this, and we have even involved the state government without any result. We also discovered that we were always being given estimated billings, though we would not have minded if power supply had been regular. However, this commendable metering project has gladdened our heart,” Adetunji stated.